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ANA-MPA -- "The Greek people have spoken and we all respect their
decision," outgoing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Sunday, in
statements at Zappion building press centre after his party's defeat
in the Greek national elections.

"My conscience is clear. I took over a country on the verge of
disaster. We withstood, we averted the worst, we pulled the country out
of the recession and the deficits, we laid the foundations for growth
and an exit from the crisis. We created a new tradition of consensus
and coalition governments.

"Today I hand over a country without deficits, which is emerging from
the crisis in an orderly way, is a member of the European Union and
the euro. I hope that the next government will preserve these gains,"
the outgoing premier said.

"We were forced to take painful measures and some mistakes were made
but we averted the worst," Samaras stressed.

"I hand over a country without deficits, with security for citizens,
a country that is making an orderly exit from the crisis. I hand over a
country that is a member of the European Union and the euro. For the good
of the country, I hope that the next government preserves these gains. I
have a clear conscience because I told the people the truth right to
the end. I hope that my predictions are not proved true," he added.

Referring to the election result, he said that "it is not pleasant,
but ND withstood and is on its feet, despite the very difficult measures
that we were forced to take. It seems that ND has lost only two points
in relation to 2012 and remains ready to play a role as a guarantor of
European stability, security and the reforms. Its role will be crucial,
I guarantee that it will play this role to the utmost," he said.